Why Grow Your Own Tomatoes?

Home-grown tomatoes taste nothing like the ones you find in a supermarket. Allowed to ripen fully on the vine, they develop a sweetness and depth of flavour that's hard to beat. Better still, they're one of the most rewarding crops for beginners — relatively forgiving, quick to produce results, and endlessly versatile in the kitchen.

Choosing the Right Variety

With hundreds of tomato varieties available, picking the right one makes a big difference. Here's a quick breakdown:

  • Cherry tomatoes (e.g. 'Gardener's Delight', 'Sweet 100') — prolific, sweet, great for beginners.
  • Beefsteak tomatoes (e.g. 'Marmande', 'Big Boy') — large fruits, ideal for salads and sandwiches, need more support.
  • Plum tomatoes (e.g. 'San Marzano', 'Roma') — meaty, low in moisture, perfect for sauces and roasting.
  • Cordon (indeterminate) varieties grow tall and need staking; bush (determinate) varieties are more compact and suit containers.

When to Sow Tomato Seeds

In the UK and similar temperate climates, sow tomato seeds indoors between late February and mid-April. Starting too early means you'll have leggy seedlings before it's warm enough to plant them out.

Step-by-Step Sowing Guide

  1. Fill small pots or seed trays with good-quality seed compost.
  2. Sow seeds about 5mm deep, two seeds per cell or pot.
  3. Water gently and cover with a propagator lid or clear plastic bag.
  4. Place on a warm windowsill or in a heated propagator — seeds germinate best at around 18–25°C.
  5. Once seedlings appear (usually 7–14 days), remove the cover and move to a bright spot.
  6. When seedlings have two true leaves, pot them on individually into 9cm pots.

Planting Out

Tomatoes are frost-sensitive, so don't rush to plant outside. Wait until after your last frost date — typically late May to early June in the UK. Harden off plants first by leaving them outside during the day for a week before transplanting.

Plant deeply — burying the stem up to the first set of leaves encourages extra root growth and stronger plants.

Growing On: Key Care Tips

  • Watering: Keep soil consistently moist. Irregular watering leads to blossom end rot and split fruits.
  • Feeding: Once the first flowers appear, feed weekly with a high-potash liquid tomato fertiliser.
  • Side-shooting: For cordon varieties, pinch out the side shoots that form in the joint between the stem and a leaf — this directs energy into fruit production.
  • Support: Tie cordon plants to canes or strings as they grow. Bush varieties may need shorter stakes.
  • Topping: In late July, pinch out the growing tip of cordon plants above the fourth or fifth truss to help remaining fruits ripen before summer ends.

Harvesting

Tomatoes are ready to pick when they've reached their full colour and feel slightly soft to the touch. Regular picking encourages the plant to produce more fruit. At the end of the season, bring any remaining green tomatoes indoors — they'll ripen on a windowsill over several weeks.

Common Problems to Watch For

  • Blossom end rot — caused by irregular watering or calcium deficiency.
  • Blight — a fungal disease that spreads in wet, humid conditions. Choose blight-resistant varieties if it's a recurring problem.
  • Whitefly — use yellow sticky traps or introduce biological controls in a greenhouse.

With consistent care and the right variety for your space, tomatoes are a deeply satisfying crop that keeps giving all summer long.